April job gains in Md. in line with most states'

Maryland's unemployment rate dipped along with those of most other states' in April, dropping from 7.7 percent to 7.5 percent after gaining about 6,200 jobs, according to new federal labor data released on Friday.

It was the second straight month of positive employment news for Maryland. But the state's modest job gains relative to many others suggested that, as expected, Maryland's nation-leading 35,000 job gain in March had been inflated because of poor counting surrounding the winter's storms.

In all, 34 states and the District of Columbia registered over-the-month unemployment decreases. Six states recorded rate increases and 10 states had no rate change. Virginia saw one of the greatest job gains in the country. The state added 28,100 jobs, and its unemployment rate stands at 7.2 percent, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, (D), who had seized on the state's large job gain in March and repeatedly touted the state's record job gain in the opening weeks of his reelection bid, issued a press release lauding the state's continued falling unemployment rate.

"Today's announcement is another positive sign for families and businesses in Maryland," O'Malley said. "While there is still more to do, this second straight month of jobs gains shows that our economy is turning in a positive direction"

Relative to a year ago, Maryland's unemployment rate is still higher. In April 2009 it was 6.9 percent, or .6 percent lower than it was last month.

Last month, the state recorded 2,968,200 jobs, up from 2,962,000 jobs a month earlier. Its number of unemployed fell from 228,100 to 221,500.